Improvement in tannerss apparatus for handling hides



G. STEINM-ANN & J. METZGER. Tanners Apparatus for Handling Hides.

No. 197,426. Patented Nov. 20, 1871' rut-0am 7% I mmm UNITED STATESPATENT Orrron.

CHARLES STEIN MANN AND JOHN METZGER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO0. STEINMANN & 00., OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TANNER S APPARATUS FOR HANDLING HIDES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,426, dated November20, 1877; application filed October 1, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES STEINMANN and JOHN METZGER, both ofCincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented a new and usefulTanners Apparatus, of which the following is a specification:

Our invention relates to an appendage to the ordinary vat or pitemployed by tanners, and is designed to facilitate the handling of thehides and their removal from the pit.

With these objects in view, we provide two pointed rods or spears,which, being secured to the pit-floor, near one end thereof, extendupward to near the level of the pit-mouth. We further provide twochains, hung by one extremity to rings in the pit-wall, near the top ofthe same, and having their other extremities passed over said spears. Wefurther provide a Windlass, to which the upper ends of the chains beingattached, enables the elevation of the chains.

The end links of the chains being engaged over the spears, and permittedto drop to the pit-floor, the hides to be depilated or tanned, as thecase may be, are impaled, one by one, upon the spears, the orificescustomarily made in raw hides enabling this to be done without any freshincisions.

The removal of the hides is easily effected by lifting their impaledends from the pit, by means of the chains and Windlass, into convenientposition for the use of the common grappling hook or bar.

The removal of the hides is more readily effected by our apparatus thanby the old-fashioned hooks alone, or other ordinary means, while overthe more recent plan of lifting by a platform it possesses the importantadvantage of easy and thorough riddance of the ooze and otheradventitious matters.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of atanners pit embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thesame, showing a batch of hides about being lifted fl'om the pit. Fig. 3represents our preferred form of link, from which one of the cheeks hasbeen removed, so as to exhibit the rollers. Fig. 4 represents the upperextremity of one of our chains temporarily engaged in the wall-eye.

A represents any ordinary or suitable vat,

tank, or pit, such as used by tanners. B B are two pointed rods orspears, secured firmly to the pit-floor, near one end thereof, andextending vertically to the level of the pit-mouth, in the manner shown.C O are bearings for a shaft or Windlass, D, which, terminating in aratchet, E, and having a lever, F, and propelling and tentative pawls GH, is capable, by a simple vibratory movement of the lever, of beingrotated in one direction in the manner familiar in Windlass actions.

J J are two similar chains, whose lower ends carry rings j, capable ofengagingloosely over the spears, and whose upper ends carry hooks j,capable of being engaged either in eyes K on the Windlass-shaft, or ineyes L that project from that side of the pit nearest to the spears. Therings j may have rollers M, Fig. 3, to lesson friction against the spearsides.

The operation is as follows The rings j being engaged over theirrespective spears B B, and permitted to descend to the pit-floor, andthe hooks j being engaged in the walleyes L, the hides are engaged, oneby one, upon the spears, and pushed down or suffered to descend, so asto make way for those which succeed them.

When the hides are deemed ready for removal, the Windlass D is placed inits bearings, and the hooks 9" being engaged in the lugs K of thewindlass, the latter is rotated so as to elevate the batch of hides intothe partiallyup-ended position shown in Fig. 2. This action causes thehides to float separate from one another, in the manner shown in Fig. 2,so as to permit the ooze to flow away from them. This separation of thehides, moreover, facilitates their separate agitation by means of anysuitable instrumentality before removal from the liquor, for the morecomplete riddance of the ooze. The hides, having been thus brought tothe surface and cleansed, are drawn out of the pit one by one. The pawlsG H are now disengaged from the ratchet, so as to permit the chains tounwind from the shaft D, and their links j to return to the pit-floor,and the removal of their hooked upper extremities j to the wall-eyes L.This liberates the windlas for similar use on another pit.

Any mechanical equivalent for the Windlass D, such as a block andtackle, or a simple lever, may be employed, and such appliance may beeither removable from pit to pit, as above t Th ombin in tanners pit, othe spears B B, chains J J, indlass D, or other hoisting-tackle, andWall-eyes L L, or their equivalents, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of which invention We hereunto set our hands.

I onAs; STEINMANN.

JOHN METZGER.

' Attest:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, WALTER KNIGHT.

